Local volunteers drive cancer patients to treatment

By CECILIA THORNGREN | The News Herald

Published: Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 08:58 PM.

Bruce, of Panama City, said it is sometimes unsafe for patients to drive themselves. She also said that as a volunteer driver she normally drives different patients every time, but sometimes she will drive the same patient for their radiation treatment for several weeks.

She said not all patients understand that they do it for free. Volunteers give their time, drive their own car and pay for the gas, she said.

Volunteers do more than just drive patients to their appointments, Taylor said. Volunteers also encourage and support them.

When patients show their appreciation it makes volunteers feel great, he said.

“We need drivers,” Taylor said, “and I just wish there were a few more.”

Jill Pait,Panhandle patient services manager at the American Cancer Society, said “radiation appointments can be daily,” and “we are desperately needing more volunteers.”

At the moment there are 19 volunteer drivers in Panama City, she said.

PANAMA CITY— Sometimes cancer patients need help with transportation to their treatment appointments. Volunteer drivers offer encouragement and support as they drive cancer patients for free.

The American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program provides cancer patients with transportation to their cancer treatments. Volunteer drivers donate their time to pick patients up from their homes and drive them to their treatment appointments and back.

“The reason I volunteer is because my wife had cancer,” Milt Taylor said. The Panama City resident’s wife died from cancer 12 years ago, he said.

Taylorhas been a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society for about 10 years now. He said that he saw an ad about the need for volunteers many years ago, and he wanted to help people who are dealing with cancer. Not everyone can afford transportation to their appointments, he said.

“I enjoy what I’m doing,” and it feels good to help other people, he said. Taylor said he is always on standby if he gets a call to drive someone to their appointment.

Taylorsaid anyone who is affected by cancer — whether it is a family member, neighbor or friend fighting cancer — probably wants to help in some way. One way to help can be to drive cancer patients to their medical appointments, Taylor said.

“They (patients) are all extremely appreciative,” said Ann Bruce, who’s been a volunteer driver for about six years.

Bruce, of Panama City, said it is sometimes unsafe for patients to drive themselves. She also said that as a volunteer driver she normally drives different patients every time, but sometimes she will drive the same patient for their radiation treatment for several weeks.

She said not all patients understand that they do it for free. Volunteers give their time, drive their own car and pay for the gas, she said.

Volunteers do more than just drive patients to their appointments, Taylor said. Volunteers also encourage and support them.

When patients show their appreciation it makes volunteers feel great, he said.

“We need drivers,” Taylor said, “and I just wish there were a few more.”

Jill Pait,Panhandle patient services manager at the American Cancer Society, said “radiation appointments can be daily,” and “we are desperately needing more volunteers.”

At the moment there are 19 volunteer drivers in Panama City, she said.

“The number of patients varies,” she said, but they had to turn down some patients because they didn’t have enough drivers.

Arthur Braunscheidel of Panama City has been volunteering for a couple of years, and after his wife died from cancer he said that he is “trying to stay busy.”

“It’s twofold,” he said. Cancer patients are benefitting from the program, but it also gives volunteers satisfaction when they help.

Braunscheidel said a typical drive takes a little over an hour, and how often he has to drive varies, but it is usually at least once a week, he said.

Volunteers have to be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, a car and auto insurance, Pait said, and before becoming a volunteer driver, volunteers have to go through a 45-minute training program.

The American Cancer Society works around volunteers’ schedules, and volunteers can help as much or as little as they want, Pait said.

MORE INFO

For more information about the local Road to Recovery program call Jill Pait, Panhandle patient services manager at American Cancer Society, at 850-266-2288, email florida.road@cancer.org, or visit www.cancer.org.